New York Mets 2023 Top 30 Prospect Wraps: Jesus Baez

The New York Mets believe they have a quality power-hitting infield prospect in former international signee Jesus Baez.

InsideTheMets.com will review each of the New York Mets’ Top 30 prospects, as ranked by MLB.com at the end of the 2023 season.

No. 18: SS/3B Jesus Baez, Florida Complex League Mets (Rookie)

Statistics for 2023: (40 games, all at FCL Mets) .210/.306/.333/.639, 18 runs, nine doubles, one triple, two home runs, 17 RBI, 19 walks, 28 strikeouts, five stolen bases.

Season Transactions: Assigned to FCL Mets to start the season.

Season Summary: this was the second year of short season baseball for Baez, who is just 19 years old and still getting acclimated to the pro game. So absorbing a 30-point drop in his batting average isn't necessarily cause for alarm. He maintained his pace for doubles and triples from last season, although his power did take a noticeable drop. One positive to take away is that he reduced his walk-to-strikeout ratio, making it much better than it was in his first season in pro ball.

Path Through the Organization: Baez was part of the Mets’ 2022 international class, but he only snagged a $275,000 signing bonus. The Santo Domingo, D.R., native wasn’t as highly-touted as some of the other Mets in that class, but he hit two home runs in his pro debut in the Dominican Summer League, and that, along with a solid 2022 in which he was named the Mets’ DSL Player of the Year, was enough to get the Mets to move him stateside for a full season with their rookie FCL team.

What’s next: Baez plays Francisco Lindor’s position, so it's unlikely you'll see him in New York anytime soon. But, MLB.com scouts believe that he has serious power potential at the Major League level. He gave the Mets a glimpse of that in 2022. Now the Mets are hoping he’ll return to being that player in 2024, and then consistently carry it forward so he can progress through the system. A start at the FCL is likely in 2024, unless he impresses enough during minor league Spring Training to earn an invite to Class-A St. Lucie.

2023 New York Mets Top 30 Prospect Wraps:

No. 30: Kade Morris | No. 29 Coleman Crow | No. 28 Nick Morabito | No. 27 Matt Rudick | No. 26: Joel Diaz | No. 25: Raimon Gomez | No. 24: Diego Mosquera | No. 23: Nolan McLean | No. 22: Jeremiah Jackson | No. 21: Luis R. Rodriguez | No. 20: Ronald Hernandez | No. 19: Calvin Ziegler |